Very pleased to be kicking off the September leg of the They All Fall Down Blog Tour!

About the book

Jen Harper likes to play it safe. She is settling into life on the outskirts of a sleepy fishing village with her little boy, Danny. Life by the sea just how she wanted it.

When she meets Andy, she feels the time has come to put her baggage and the scars of the past behind her. Then she is introduced to Scott, Andy s best friend, and is stung by his obvious disdain for her. Why is Scott so protective of his best friend? What is the dark secret that threatens all of them?

In her attempt to find answers, Jen must confront her demons and push her relationships to their limits. By digging up the past, she puts Danny and herself in danger. Will she succeed in uncovering the truth before they all fall down?

Raw and energetic, They All Fall Down is a fast-paced and addictive novel exploring the depths of flawed human nature, the thin line between love and obsession and the destructive nature of addiction.

My Review

Firstly, massive thanks to Cat for giving me the opportunity to read and review They All Fall Down and to be a part of this blog tour!

If you like psychological thrillers then this book needs to be on your TBR list. They All Fall Down can be split into 2 distinct halves; the first half being slow burn build up of tension with the introduction of the charming, handsome and rich Scott who can charm the birds from the trees. Then, in the second half, ramps up the action to a crescendo of an ending.

The characters are realistic and likeable, other than Scott for obvious reasons – however I did love to hate him! Jen is just looking for a happy life for herself and her 8 year old son, Danny. She has had a tough time growing up and is haunted by her own demons but is grateful for Danny and the home that her Aunty Pat has left her – even if it is with a lodger in situ through to the end of the year! Although, Aunty Pat knew what she was doing there as Andy (the lodger) has shut down since the death of his beloved Sharon a few years prior – he was retreated into himself and cannot see himself being happy ever again. I loved Andy, for both his caring, romantic side and his fiery nature protecting those close to him. The relationship between Jen and Andy is predictable however this is because they are so well suited and just gel from the moment they start living with one another – as I say, Aunty Pat had a plan which she knew would work! Its interesting to have a love story running alongside a psychological thriller and it works really well as the reader becomes invested in everyone’s lives and understands how much everyone has to lose.

What can I say about Scott – what a weapon he is! The epitome of arrogance who thinks that he can control everyone and everything to his own advantage. Hogan certainly knows how to write an evil character, Scott’s ability to switch on and off his charm jumps out from the pages. Andy sees the good in everyone and everything therefore retains a good friendship with Scott even though he can see how he winds everyone up. I would have liked to have heard from Scott more from his own perspective, to get his take on things and enter his dark world – although it would definitely be a scary place to be as he is such a narcissist!

They All Fall Down is a wonderfully plotted story, building up the tension through the introduction of characters and snippets into Scott’s manipulative ways. The landscape certainly comes through as well through Hogan’s descriptions of the village and the sea. I loved the Irish language quirks coming through that really transports you over to Ireland. This is a fantastic debut and Cat Hogan is definitely one to watch!

About Cat Hogan

Cat Hogan was born into a home of bookworms and within spitting distance of the sea. Her father, Pat, a lightship man, instilled in her a love of the sea and the stars. Her mother, Mag, taught her how to read before she could walk.
Writing, storytelling and a wild imagination is part of her DNA.

The beautiful County Wexford, Ireland is home to Cat, her musician partner Dave, two beautiful sons Joey and Arthur, and her tomcat Jim Hawkins. There they live a life of storytelling, song and adventure. The other love of Cat’s life is food. A self-professed foodie, there is nothing she loves more than feeding a houseful of friends round her kitchen table.

When she is not conjuring up imaginary friends, she can be found supporting local musicians and writers of which there is an abundance in her home town. One of her first endorsements for her novel is also her favourite and comes from fellow Wexfordian of Artemis Fowl fame.